Morning dawned clear and golden, waves sparkling as gulls swooped across the bay. Kenji stretched as he stepped onto the Triton, Son of Poseidon, rolling his shoulders from the previous day's haul. Sora was already fussing with ropes, humming some nonsense tune about being "the bravest first mate in the world."
Kenji chuckled. "Since when do first mates hum?"
"Since forever," Sora replied with a grin, tightening a knot—still messy, but at least less of a disaster than before.
As Kenji prepared the nets, he heard footsteps on the dock. His heart sank before he even looked up.
Ayaka. Again.
Basket in hand, her expression sharp as ever, she walked straight up to the boat without asking permission.
Kenji groaned. "You again? Don't you have anything better to do than babysit us?"
Ayaka arched a brow. "Babysit? If I weren't here yesterday, your lunch would've been dried fish dust. And you would've lost half your catch with those sloppy knots."
Sora cheered. "Yay! Ayaka-san's here again!"
Kenji rubbed his face. "Traitorous son."
Ayaka smirked. "At least someone appreciates me." She hopped onto the boat with surprising grace. "Let's go. You're wasting daylight."
Setting Sail
The Triton cut across the waves, its sails snapping as the morning wind filled them. Kenji cast the nets while Ayaka perched on a crate, arms crossed, scanning the waters like a hawk.
"Too shallow," she said as he prepared to cast.
Kenji stopped mid-motion. "Excuse me?"
"Too shallow. The fish will scatter. Go farther out, near those rocks." She pointed.
Kenji muttered, "Bossy…" but steered anyway.
When the net came back heavy with silver flashes of sardines and mackerel, Ayaka smirked. "Told you."
Kenji grit his teeth while Sora clapped and jumped around. "Ayaka-san's sea sense is amazing!"
Kenji grumbled under his breath, "She's hijacking my boat…"
Ayaka's ears twitched. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
Banter on Deck
As the morning wore on, Ayaka's sharp tongue only grew sharper.
"You call that a knot? Even Sora does better."
"Don't compare me to my kid!"
"Then stop tying knots like one."
Sora laughed so hard he nearly fell overboard. "Papa, she roasted you again!"
Kenji tossed a rag at him. "Whose side are you even on?"
"Team Ayaka," Sora said proudly.
Kenji groaned. "Unbelievable."
Ayaka smirked triumphantly. "Smart boy."
A Sudden Storm
Clouds rolled in by midday, the sky darkening as the wind picked up. Kenji's eyes narrowed. "Storm's brewing. We should pull in."
Ayaka frowned. "One more net. There's a shoal close by—we can double today's catch."
Kenji stared at her like she'd gone mad. "Do you want us drowned?"
Ayaka met his gaze evenly. "Do you want to waste the chance?"
For a long moment, neither blinked. Then Kenji exhaled and muttered, "You're insane." He tossed the net anyway.
The storm wind howled, waves rising. But when they hauled the net, it bulged with tuna, larger than anything they'd caught before.
Even Kenji's eyes widened. "…Alright. Worth it."
Ayaka crossed her arms smugly. "Told you."
Sora squealed. "We're rich!"
Kenji shook his head, though a smile tugged at his lips. "You're reckless, Ayaka."
"And you're too cautious," she shot back. But her eyes softened briefly. "…That's why you need me."
Kenji froze, words stuck in his throat.
Back at the Village
By the time they returned, the storm had passed, leaving the sky washed clean. They unloaded baskets of fish at the market, drawing wide-eyed stares from other villagers.
"Kenji? You hauled this much in a storm?" one fisherman asked in disbelief.
Kenji scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah… luck, I guess."
Sora pointed. "It was Ayaka-san! She knew where the fish were!"
The fisherman's eyes widened. "That Ayaka? From the merchant family?"
Ayaka shifted uncomfortably, cheeks faintly red. "D-don't spread nonsense."
But whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Kenji and Ayaka, working together?"
"Strange pair, but they make a strong team…"
"Maybe more than a team, eh?"
Kenji turned red as a cooked crab. "Oi! Quit with that gossip!"
Ayaka snapped, face equally flushed. "Don't get the wrong idea! I'm just… making sure he doesn't sink his boat!"
But as she stalked off with her basket, villagers exchanged knowing grins.
Evening Reflection
That night, Kenji sat on the shore, gazing at the stars over the calm sea. Sora was already asleep, snoring softly inside their small hut.
He thought about Ayaka—the sharp words, the fierce eyes, the way she never backed down, and the stew she'd cooked yesterday that still lingered in his memory.
"She's trouble," he muttered. Then, after a pause, "…but maybe the good kind."
The waves lapped gently at the sand, as if agreeing.
Income Record – Stormy Haul
Sardines + mackerel: +140 copper
Tuna haul (rare size): +260 copper
Net repairs (storm damage): –30 copper
Total income: +370 copper
Running balance: 1,129 copper